“There’s a link between creativity and positive emotions and, ultimately, happiness. Researchers have found that people are more likely to have a creative breakthrough if they were happy the day before. Creativity is less likely to be present with negative emotions such as fear, anger, sadness, and anxiety; it is positively associated with positive emotions such as joy, love, and curiosity.”

The page further explains, “Positive emotions and creativity make us feel interested in the world around us. The ability to be fascinated and allow ourselves to explore and discover makes us feel open and alive. It’s also what draws us to learn new skills, perspectives, and ideas—resources that we can draw on to solve life’s problems. This boosts our resilience and our satisfaction with life—both part of the equation for overall happiness.”

Article: The 6 Myths of Creativity, Fast Company
– An excerpt: “We found that creativity is positively associated with joy and love and negatively associated with anger, fear, and anxiety…people are happiest when they come up with a creative idea, but they’re more likely to have a breakthrough if they were happy the day before. There’s a kind of virtuous cycle.” – From my post Myths Of Creativity in Business.

Create to please yourself

Philip Pullman is the author of several best-selling books, such as the fantasy trilogy His Dark Materials, which includes The Golden Compass. In 2008, The Times [UK] named him one of the “50 greatest British writers since 1945”. [Wikipedia]

Pullman once commented about writing: “The only thing you need to do is forget about pleasing other people, and aim to please yourself alone.

“That way, you’ll have a chance of writing something that other people WILL want to read, because it’ll take them by surprise.